


1 String, 2 String, Red String, Blue String

by milkyama



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Red String of Fate
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2020-04-07 02:53:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19076011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milkyama/pseuds/milkyama
Summary: In a futuristic world, the death rate has dropped to nearly zero. As such, the world's population is rapidly rising out of control, and with this new development comes new challenges.In order to control reckless reproduction, governments around the world have employed REDSTRING: a holographic device implanted in the wrist that, when given the necessary information, guides you to the perfect match. With the promise of such a thing as a "perfect match", people no longer participate in speed dating or one-night stands, all too absorbed in REDSTRING's guidance. It's a foulproof solution...except for a single flaw.When Kageyama Tobio's REDSTRING malfunctions, it leads him on a journey that threatens to reveal to the general public exactly what REDSTRING's real goal is...and the answer is not as simple as it seems.





	1. Teruzuki S. — Project REDSTRING

_**Researcher:** Teruzuki S._

_**Programmer:** Aoyama H._

_**Project:** REDSTRING_

_**Purpose:** To rein in the rapidly multiplying population and provide a method to stabilize the average satisfaction level of citizens._

** _Researcher's comments:_ **

_I am Researcher Teruzuki Satoshi, in charge of Project REDSTRING. So far, all preparations for widespread introductions have been faring well. We recently discovered a more stable and more efficient compound to act as the "core" of REDSTRING, and as such, we have been able to reduce the size of REDSTRING from 2 centimeters in diameter to about 0.25 centimeters. Any smaller, and I am afraid there is a high possibility of the compound leaching through the increased surface area. Programmer Aoyama Hikaru has recently corrected a number of errors created by our previous programmer._

** _Device description:_ **

_-Roughly 0.25 centimeters in diameter_

_-Surgically implanted in the underside of the wrist_

_-Runs on a chemical compound that will provide an estimated 80 years of stable functioning_

_-Appears to the naked eye as a small red dot and a red laser tailored to be visible to only the user and the match_

_-Will automatically shut down if problems are detected_

_**Programmer's notes:** ~~[REDACTED]~~_

_███ █████. ███ █████████ ████████ ██ ██ ████ ████ ██████ ████. ████ ██████ ████ ███ █████████████ ██████ ███ ████ ██ ██ ████ █████████ ████ ██████, ██████ ████ ███ ██ ███████ ███ ████ ████ ████ ████ █████████. ██ ████ ███, ████ ██████ ████ ██████ ███████ ███ ████ ███████ ███ ██████████ ██████ ███████ ██████ ████ █████████._

_██ █████ ███ ██████ ██ ███ ███████: ███ ██████ ██ █████. ██ ███ ████ ███ ████ ████, █████ ██ ███ ████._

_██ ███ ██████████: ████ ███. ██████ ██████ ██ ██████ ███ ████. ███ ████? ███ ████ █████._

_███████ ███████ ███ ███ █████: █████ ██ ██ ████████._

_███ ████████ ██ ███, ███████ ██████._

 

 

_Signed by Researcher Teruzuki Satoshi_

__

_Signed by Programmer Aoyama Hikaru_

_Signed by Government Official Serunami Kenjirou_

__

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**~~_[DOCUMENT VOIDED BY ██████ ██████]_ ~~ **

 

 

 

**_[DOCUMENT RE-VALIDATED BY SERUNAMI KENJIROU]_ **


	2. Crescent Moon <K.Tobio>

"I've finally found you!"

The girl in front of me giggles, showing me the underside of her left arm. A red dot. Just like everyone else. What's so special?

"What are you waiting for? Bring up your REDSTRING so you can see for yourself!"

I stifle an exasperated sigh, using two fingers to gently tap the point where my palm meets my wrist twice. A red beam of light emits from the device, pointing directly in front of me.

Damn it. What a pain.

"I'm so happy I found you!"

She takes my hands into hers, her eyes sparkling brightly in joy. I pull my hands out of hers discreetly, tucking them into my pockets.

"Yeah, yeah." I roll my eyes. I don't even try to hide it; pulling out my phone to check the time. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get to class."

"Wait—wait a minute! I need your name, and contact information, and your preferences and—"

"That won't be necessary."

She runs after me, grabbing onto my arm. I scowl unintentionally, shaking her off.

"Wha—What? Of course it is! We were taught in class to always—"

I throw my head back, wanting to scream at her. I know I can't. She'll probably be crushed to the bone if I do.

Stupid societal standards.

I turn to face her, shutting my REDSTRING off at the same time.

"I have no intention of dating you because REDSTRING says you're 'perfectly suited' for me. If, and that is if, I do end up in a relationship with you, it'll be because I really like you, not because of some device's database. And that's already unlikely."

"Are you kidding me?! Tons of guys want to date me in the event I don't listen to my REDSTRING, but I've reserved my body and soul for my perfect match! And now you don't even want me? I'm pretty, I'm single, I get good grades! I'm even a virgin! What else do you want from me?!"

"I have no reason to explain to you," I plainly reply, checking my phone for what seems like the tenth time in the past few minutes. "I'm trying to let you down gently and yet you keep pestering me for 'a reason'. You don't need one."

"Give me one good reason! I'm only asking for one! Please, I promise, I'll leave you alone if—"

"I'm not interested in girls."

A myriad of emotions crosses her face. Disbelief, realization, disgust, pity, composure.

"You—You're really serious?"

I nod, feeling the tiniest bit of guilt for the little twisted lie. It's really not my fault—it's just that I've never been romantically interested in anyone for all sixteen years of my mildly miserable life. It's easier to pretend to be gay than to have to explain that I'm really not attracted to anyone.

"I—I'm sorry. I'll try inputting more information into the database. Sorry for the outburst...I'm so sorry Kageyama-san! I'll keep it a secret for you, I promise!"

"Yeah..." I pause in my departure, tilting my head toward her. "I hope you get over it soon, alright?" I attempt to crack a smile, which comes out crooked and unnatural.

"Ah! Th—Thank you, Kageyama-san! I hope you find the person for you!"

I check my phone again.

Holy shit, I'm going to be late. My class is on the other side of the school...but maybe, if I run, I can make it?

I break into a sprint, my messenger bag bouncing against the side of my thigh as I attempt to navigate through the countless branching hallways. Please, please don't let me be late. The teacher already hates me enough, and being late will just add fuel to the fire.

Too late, my shoes squeak against the floor as I try to stop before I hit a cart of science materials. I bang my forehead against it while the rest of my body slams into the cart, and I curse heavily as I try to untangle myself from it. The cart wobbles precariously close to tipping over, but settles into its previous position. A couple test tubes have fallen out of the test tube rack that I broke with my face, spilling into a pool of acrid smelling sludge. My hand, being drenched in the liquid, feels slippery and almost soapy. I rub my hand against my black jacket to clean it, regretting it almost moments later when it starts to stain red.

I'm bleeding.

I curse whatever god decided to screw me over, and carefully enter the nearby bathroom. The paper dispenser clicks mockingly as it pulls nothing but air out of itself. I let out a frustrated groan and enter one of the bathroom stalls, trying my best to use the thin and flimsy toilet paper to stop the bleeding. The cut, a crescent moon shaped incision across the base of my palm, doesn't run deep, but still throbs with every movement of my hand. The paper doesn't work very well, the red still blooming freshly on the bandage and dripping on the floor. Did I cut an artery or something? Why is it bleeding so much?

I gingerly slip off my now bloodstained jacket and press it against the cut. At least it's a black jacket and not any other color; otherwise, it would be beyond saving.

I still have to make it to class...damn it, my teacher is absolutely going to rip me to shreds.


	3. Red As A Rose <K.Tobio>

"Kageyama, you should really just take a seat on the bench and let it rest for a while. You're going to make it worse if you keep playing."

I shake my head, flinching as Suga's fingers brush against my arm lightly. "I can't take a break. We're going to the spring tournament soon. I can't afford to lose practice time."

"Still, you should prioritize your own health," he chides, tying the ends of the bandage together and standing up from his previous kneeling position. "It's not good to overwork yourself."

I stand up, feeling slightly dizzy but shaking it off. "Thanks for the help, Suga-san."

He smiles resignedly, sighing. "I guess I can't stop you. Go ahead."

I half-jog onto the court again, noting the faint blood streaks that have been sloppily mopped up. The wound on my wrist isn't closing properly.

"Bakageyama, are you still playing? I'm already sick of cleaning up your blood! Don't you feel sick from bleeding so much?" Hinata comments, poking at the fresh bandage. "If you're injured then you need to stop playing. You don't want to end up like the Great King or anything, yeah?"

"This is just a cut, and he tore his entire tendon. I'm pretty sure there's a difference. I'll be fine."

"...Alright, but if you bleed one more time, I swear..."

I ignore the rest of his rambling, positioning myself at the front of the net.

"Service!"

The ball soars over my head, perfectly received by the other side. Tanaka jumps up to spike, aiming for the right corner of the court. I bend my knees, propelling myself upwards and snapping my arms to the right. He hits the ball off the outer edge of my arm, the ball going off at a different angle.

"One touch!" I yell, my arm feeling like a piece of dead wood and my wound seemingly burning hot. I can't pay attention to it now, in the middle of a game, but it's uncomfortable and bordering on painful.

Nishinoya receives the ball, passing it to the middle of the court. I run backwards, noting from the corner of my eye the beginning of Hinata's run-up. I raise my hands to set, almost shoving the ball toward Hinata, who smashes it diagonally across the court with no hesitation. A good spike. Not that I would ever tell him that, with his ego.

I land on the floor, my legs giving way under me like cooked spaghetti noodles. My vision flashes white intermittently. Everything hurts, but my arm just feels numb and dull.

"Kageyama!" Hinata shouts, running towards me after landing. "I told you you couldn't play with that stupid wound!"

I clench my teeth, the blood seeping from the now crimson cloth and coating the inside of my arm with dark red slick. My wound burns, as if the blood is boiling underneath my skin, yet the rest of my arm feels nothing at all. What's wrong with me?

"Medic," I mumble out, ripping the sopping wet bandage off my arm and holding my hand away from my body. The blood now drips from my fingertips. It looks like I've ripped someone's eyes out. "I need a medic."

It's so red. Everything is just a sea of red. My clothes are red, my hands are red, the floor is red, red as a rose.

"Shit, I think he's going into shock!" someone yells. "Put some pressure on his wound!"

Someone begins to press a t-shirt against my wound. It aches like an awful bruise. It keeps bleeding nonetheless.

My heartbeat starts to become painfully obvious in my ears. I take a shaky breath in. It's really hard to breathe. Something's wrong. I'm not going into shock.

"Kageyama, stay awake!"

Hinata shakes me by the shoulders, his white shoes stained in blood. My blood. It's red. Everything's red...

"Hinata," I whisper, shaking even though it's not cold inside the gym. "Red, everything's red, you're—"

"Shut up! They called an ambulance for you, so relax!" he shouts at me, dragging me toward the entrance. "If you wanna say something to me, do it when you're not bleeding all over the floor!"

It looks like a murder took place here. If I die...will it be a murder? Murder by volleyball? How poetic...

"REDSTRING is stupid. Activate..." I mumble before everything goes red.

* * *

 

I wake up in a hospital bed, hooked up to an IV filled with blood.

"Hello?" I call out, my voice crackly and foreign to my ears. "Is there anyone there?"

I spot my phone on the bedside table, and pick it up with my now bandaged hand, stiffly moving it into my lap. Thank god I didn't injure my dominant hand. That would've been a pain to deal with.

I press my thumb against the reader. It takes a few tries before I finally unlock it. Twenty-four unread messages?

I read each of them. Most of them are just asking me to reply when I wake up. Suga, who's apparently pretty upset that he didn't stop me from going onto the court with an injury, has sent me five messages, all apologizing for not being careful enough. Four of the messages are from Hinata, mad at me for being an idiot. As expected, though he's still a way bigger idiot.

I painstakingly use one finger to type out responses to each message. They're awful and are riddled with spelling mistakes. There's not much else I can do with one arm fully bandaged and basically immobile.

A missed call from my mom. She left a voicemail, which I click on.

_"I heard you had to go to the emergency room. I'm trying to get back from Hokkaido as fast as possible, but the next boat back is at midnight. Call me when you wake up, okay? I hope you're not dead."_

I let out a small laugh.

_"...Just so you know, that doesn't mean you're off the hook. You'd better tell me everything when I get there."_

I'm about to end the voicemail, when suddenly, her voice turns soft.

_"I really hope you're okay, Tobio. You know that, right? Love you. Bye."_

The corners of my mouth turn up as I end the voicemail. It's been rough between us ever since _that_ happened, but it seems to be getting better with time. It's probably never going to be the same between us, but it's an improvement.

Checking the rest of my notifications, I realize that my "dad" hasn't sent me anything. Figures. He pretty much hates me anyways. The feeling's mutual—I haven't interacted with him since the divorce and frankly I don't want to ever see him again.

I go back to my phone app, entering my mom's phone number. She doesn't pick up, but I leave a voicemail anyways.

"Hey, Mom. I'm still alive...which is nice. I wasn't exactly ready to die, though I can think of a person that should die. I think we both know who that is, right? Anyways, I think I'm okay now, I'll check with the nurses later...I'll probably be out of the hospital by the time you get back. I lo—love...ack, I can't say it, it's too weird. You know what I mean. Whatever. Bye."

Suddenly, I hear a door open from the outer hallway, and familiar voices.

"Suga-san, you can't keep blaming yourself! It's not your fault, it's stupid Kageyama's fault!"

"Hinata, quiet down. You're in a hospital."

"It smells like hand sanitizer! Sorry, I've never been in a hospital before..."

"Pathetic. I can't believe we're visiting—"

The door swings open and a head of orange hair pops from around the door.

"Kageyama!" he shouts, almost joyful, until he stops in his tracks, the smile falling from his face. "You're a big idiot."

"You just realized?" Tsukishima comments, kicking Hinata in the back of the knees. Hinata falls straight forward with a yelp, and Tsukishima steps over his body. "We're skipping practice to see you, so you'd better say thank you to this idiot on the floor for dragging us here. See, he was concerned about you."

"I was not!" Hinata shrieks, jumping to his feet and running in front of Tsukishima to glare at him straight in the face. "My mom said it's polite to visit people in the hospital, so that's why I suggested it!"

"Yeah, yeah." Tsukishima shoves Hinata's face away from him, stepping closer to the bed. "Did your parents drop by?"

I hate having to look up at him just because I'm in a hospital bed. It's insulting in a way.

"My mom said she'll arrive tomorrow morning...wait, what time is it?"

"You've been knocked out for a day," Suga comments, being the last to enter my room. "Did your dad come to check on you, at least?"

I freeze, eyes darting back and forth between the three people in my room. "Uh...he gets busy at this time of year. It's okay."

None of them bring my vague answer up for questioning.

"I asked the nurse and she said you'll probably have to stay here for the next day. They have to make sure you're stable," Suga reports, still standing at the doorway as if ready to run at any moment.

"Uh, Suga-san? You don't have to...stand near the door like that. I'm not going to kill you."

"I feel kinda guilty," he answers, laughing. "I should've stopped you when it was clear you weren't able to play."

I bite my lip, unsure what to say. I've never been that good with words. That's always been Toshiko's specialty...but she's not around anymore.

"Uh...it's okay," I try to reassure, pretty much just making everything ten times worse.

The air inside the room turns awkward and heavy.

"I'll be going now," Tsukishima interrupts, standing up and leaving.

"Sorry, I'll be going with him. I hope you get better soon!"

Suga slips out the door, leaving me alone with Hinata. I bury my face in my hands, already tired just from one small interaction.

"Hey, I hate to bring this up now, but...before you passed out, you were mumbling about REDSTRING. I'm kinda curious, did something happen?"

"Was I?" I ask, my memories hazy and muddled. "I don't really remember that. Did I say anything weird?"

He shakes his head furiously. "Nah, you didn't say anything weird. I guess it was from the shock, right?"

"Yeah..."

I stay silent for a while, while Hinata looks around the room.

"Did you drop your phone? Here, I'll pick it up for you."

He hands me my phone, dropping it rather unceremoniously on my lap.

"Thanks. Are you guys really skipping practice?" 

"Yeah. Daichi-san doesn't know, he thinks we're cleaning up the classrooms."

I immediately imagine Daichi's expression when he finds out they've lied to him. I shiver. Scary.

"You can go now, you know. You don't have to stay or anything."

Hinata pauses, looking back at me over his shoulder. "Are you sure you're fine? Normally I wouldn't be concerned because idiots don't catch colds or something...but you don't seem in great shape."

"I'll be able to play in the tournament," I respond, carefully gauging his reaction. "That's what you're concerned about, right?"

He nods, pulling open the door. "Sure...if that's what you think."

"What do you—"

The door drifts shut behind him and I slump into my pillows. I guess I'll have to wait until I get out of the hospital to ask him what he means.

Now that I think about it, wasn't he acting strange today? Being all concerned doesn't suit him, and neither does being mysterious...but today was weird.

Maybe it's just me being paranoid, but something feels strangely off.

* * *

 

_A girl with sunken, empty eye sockets pulls on my leg, her hands wrapped around my ankle._

_**Save me...** _

_I try to pull free, but she pulls even harder. I fall onto my back, and she latches on to me. Her chipped pink nail polish contrasts sharply with the dull, sallow tone of her skin._

_**Tobio...save me...** _

_"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I couldn't save you!"_

_**You didn't even try...** _

_**You left me all alone with...** _

_"I said I'm sorry! I couldn't do anything! I didn't know!"_

_She snarls, her face scrunching up as she shakes me violently._

_**Shut up...** _

_**SHUT UP!** _

_**You did nothing...** _

_**Don't tell me you tried...** _

_**Tobio...help me...** _

_"I just want to forget already! You're dead, I'm sad, our family is broken—I just want to forget!"_

_She wraps her hands around my neck, ice cold as she leers at me with sharpened teeth._

_**Don't forget me...Tobio...** _

_**You can't forget me...** _

_**Tobio...** _

_**Tobio...** _

"—Tobio!"

I gasp, waking up. The hospital gown sticks to my skin, sweat pouring down my neck.

"To—Toshiko—" I breathe, panting heavily. "Sh—She—"

"Calm down. She's not going to kill you."

The woman beside my bed pats me on the forehead, smelling faintly of instant coffee and alcohol-based whiteboard markers. Her hair is long, black and immaculately ironed into ringlets that fall on her shoulders, and her eyes are a piercing shade of blue.

I take a few moments to steady my heart rate, taking a sip from the paper cup of water on the table. My IV drip has been removed from my hand, replaced with a thick cotton bandage. It aches mildly, but it isn't nearly as painful as almost bleeding to death on the gym floor.

"When did you get here, Mom?"

"Half a hour ago," she responds, pursing her lips. "I wasn't going to wake you up but you started choking on air. I don't want you to die."

"Gee, thanks," I snort, sitting up straighter. "I wasn't planning on it."

She studies my face, lapsing into silence.

"Sometimes, I really hate how much you look like your sister."

The words in my throat die. I do look a lot like Toshiko—after all, we're twins. She's been missing for a while now, confirmed as dead based on the rotting body that ended up at our front door a few months after her disappearance. I still have nightmares about her—it's scarring for a 11 year old child to see the dead body of their twin sister.

"Yeah," I mutter, looking away. "I do too."

The silence is thick enough to cut with a butter knife. I shift against the pillows, feelings tired and disgustingly sticky. My mom taps her fingers on the table, her nails clicking against the wood.

"The nurse said you can go home now," she states, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "So you should get ready to leave."

"Mmhm," I drowsily hum, setting my feet on the cold tile. "I'm going to the bathroom to change."

Inside the bathroom, I lock myself into the biggest stall, untying the strings of the hospital gown and pulling on a blue hoodie in its place. The fuzzy interior of the clothing makes me feel slightly less disgusting, and I unconsciously shrink into myself in comfort. The last time I had to come to the hospital was five years ago, when I got badly injured in a struggle that resulted in Toshiko's death. This is a place that doesn't really hold any good memories for me. No wonder I had that nightmare again.

After dressing, I unlatch the door, attempting to wash my hands while avoiding the bandage. I end up just running the tips of my fingers under the water, rubbing my eyes furiously afterward. Ugh...so sleepy. 

I catch my reflection in the large mirror, and I pause, noticing how pale my face is. I look sick. I sigh, pushing the door open and nearly hitting my mother in the face.

"Agh...!" I yell, caught by surprise. I nearly topple over, but grip onto the door frame and keep myself upright. "Sorry, sorry."

She sighs again for the umpteenth time today, motioning for me to follow her. "Let's go. I contacted your father and he paid for all the medical bills."

I snort weakly, dragging behind her. "That's all he does for us anyways. Not sure why we even bother, huh..."

Again, another sigh. "You don't need to tell me about it. I know."

It seems that this is going to stay a sensitive subject between the two of us.

* * *

 

I wake up in a cold sweat for the seventh time in the past few days, gasping for air. I can't remember what I dreamt about, but it was nothing good or happy.

I groan, burying my face in my hands and leaning on my knees. This has to stop. It's difficult to want to sleep when things like this happen. I decide to just stay awake for the rest of the night.

I thoughtfully tap a rhythm on my arm, humming anxiously. Suddenly, my REDSTRING pops up. I guess I tapped it accidentally.

I reach to close it, when suddenly, a feminine robotic voice begins to drone in my ears.

_"Hello, user, and welcome to the backup program. You've been referred to the backup because your primary program has been disrupted or corrupted. You are now transferring to BLUESTRING. Please do not close your STRING device as it may cause device failure. Thank you for your cooperation. For maintenance or questions about your device, please contact your local health provider."_

I muffle an embarrassing sound of surprise as a sensation similar to a rubber band snap travels up my arm. Is this normal?

_"BLUESTRING has been activated. Here are some steps to take following your transfer. If you are unable to remember these steps, please do not hesitate to write them down."_

I scramble for a pen and paper, falling out of bed and onto the hard wooden floor. I rub my forehead, finally obtaining the two items and sitting cross-legged on the floor.

_"Purchase some items that can disguise your identity. Good examples would be temporary hair dye, colored contacts, face masks, or a voice modulator. Do not inform others of your transfer to this program, as it may cause unnecessary death. If someone has already been informed, do not hesitate to eliminate them."_

"Death?" I wonder, chuckling in spite of myself. "How funny. They expect for something like this to cause death? Unnecessary death?"

_"Your final step is to follow your newly activated BLUESTRING to a member of our organization. Once you have initiated contact with one of our members, they will ask for a name. Do not give your legal name or any sort of name related to it. Choose a moniker to be referred to as. Failure to comply with these steps may result in undesirably dangerous situations. Thank you for using BLUESTRING."_

The string begins to flicker back into existence, but now, instead of being bright red, it's a faded blue tone that can barely be seen.

What the fuck just happened?

Everything hits me all at once, and I slump against my bed frame, examining the new blue string attached to my wrist. Do I listen to the person who recorded that message? Is this a malfunction? Should I be telling people, or keeping it a secret?

I make a decision.

I pick myself off the ground, the hem of my shorts brushing softly against my thighs as I slip out the door of my bedroom. The wooden planks of the floor creak softly when I step on them, but I make sure to stay as silent as possible. I'm technically not supposed to be outside the house yet, but my mom doesn't need to know. She's a deep sleeper.

Pulling on a black sports jacket, I shove my feet into my sneakers. As I unlock the front door, I peek cautiously upwards to make sure that everything is still as quiet as I left it, before swinging it shut and locking it.

I turn on my phone flashlight, flipping up my hood.

I might as well follow the instructions I've been given.


	4. Memoir Room K //Spirited Away <K.Tobio>//

_[SELECT MEMOIR]_

 

**_►Spirited Away <K.Tobio>_ **

_►Redirection <K.Tobio>_

_►Doppelganger <Anko>_

_►In-Dependency <Anko>_

_►Shotgun <K.Chikiro>_

_►Day By Day <T.Risa>_

 

_[CONFIRM SELECTION?]_

 

**_►Yes_ **

_►No_

 

_[Loading...]_

 

 _[This tape has been played once already_ _]_

 

_[REWIND MEMOIR?]_

 

**_►Yes_ **

_►No_

 

_[Rewinding...]_

 

It's normally not this hot in the summer, but then again, Miyagi City's weather is always like this. Unpredictable weathers patterns plus the rainy season is a recipe for disaster.

The air is humid and thick, like a fog of cotton floating around. The schoolyard is deserted save for the janitor picking up empty drink bottles around the courtyard...and of course, me and Toshiko.

"Does Dad know where our school is?"

"He should," I reply in a daze, opening my eyes to look at her. "He's the one that transferred us here."

She pouts, puffing out her cheeks. "I forgot. He's the reason why we can't walk home from school anymore."

Toshiko takes a seat next to me in the shade of the trees, letting her schoolbag rest between the two of us. I flick open my phone with disdain, the screen pitch black despite my many attempts to power it on.

"Shiko, my phone's out of battery. Try calling Dad with yours."

Toshiko enters the number into her phone, holding it up to her ear and frowning. "He's not picking up. Probably forgot about us again."

"He's probably busy," I counter, blinking the sleep out of my mind. "Anyways, we should think about getting home without him. It looks like it's about to rain."

The sky above us is an uncanny artificial shade of blue, but in the distance looms dark and heavy clouds, promising a big deluge. Toshiko looks in the same direction, biting her lower lip.

"Yeah, that seems like a good idea. They're gonna close the gates soon. Tobio, do you have a plan?"

I shrug, standing up and slinging my messenger bag across my shoulders. "We can pop by the convenience store on the way back, pick up some snacks. I'm starving, and I bet you're hungry too. How much money do you have?"

She stands up after me, completing the same series of actions as me. "I've got around 1500 yen. I spent way too much when I went out with my classmates last week. Ugh, I swear I'm never going out with them again."

I nod, leading the way out of the school gates. "That's good then. It's enough for decent snacks. If you need any extra, I've got my whole allowance with me."

Toshiko's jaw drops as she checks the zippers on my bag. "Seriously? You keep 8000 yen on you at school? Aren't you afraid of getting robbed?"

"Actually, never mind...I spent a lot of money this week on milk. Around 4000 yen? So I only have half my allowance."

I keep my poker face on for an additional few seconds before breaking into laughter. She shoves me, giggling along with me.

"I can't believe you spent half your allowance on milk! Are you crazy?"

"You're just unable to appreciate the wonders of milk! I can't believe you're my sister!" I declare, shoving her back.

"I can! I'm just not as much of a milk maniac as you. Buying 15 milk cartons in 5 days? Seriously, that's such a waste!" she complains, crossing her arms across her chest. "Imagine if Mom found out what you do with your allowance!"

"Hey, you're the one who got tricked into paying for your classmates' meals," I tease, poking her in the arm. She makes a face, sticking her tongue out at me.

"It was an accident! I'm not going to do that again. Says you, the one who has no friends!"

"I—I have friends! And unlike yours, they don't scam me!"

"Ugh..."

She trails behind me, defeated.

"And of course, if you want to borrow any of my money, you'll be paying me back," I state with a smug look on my face.

"Ugh, mean!" she complains, running up and hitting me on the shoulder. "I've done so much for you and yet you can't even spare me a few hundred yen. I don't want your money anyways—ahhhh..."

Toshiko trips over the back of her leg, falling onto her hands and knees. She crumples into a ball, eyes watering at the corners. I kneel down in concern, attempting to get her to stand up. She doesn't respond, the only sound coming from her being wet and ragged breathing.

"Shiko? What's wrong? Talk—"

I notice too late the handle sticking out from her back and the gloved fingers wrapped around it. Something hard and heavy smashes into the left side of my face and I hear the sound of me crashing down to the concrete. It feels like it's a world away, distant and blurry. The fingers wrap firmly around the handle, pulling it out of Toshiko's back with a fluid motion and a sickening wet noise. Toshiko lets out a small whimper, curling up even tighter.

"Shiko—" I mumble, grabbing onto her knee. My vision swims in swirls in front of me, almost as if I'm looking through a stained glass window. I struggle to focus on Toshiko's twisted face, fumbling as I try to grab her hand with little success. I shrink back as a wave of pain passes through my left eye.

"To—Tobio," she wheezes, pressing against the bloody hole in her stomach. Blood seeps between her fingers, dripping through the cracks and onto the pavement. There's a dark puddle below her midsection, growing by the second. "Go and—and call for help. Help, help..."

The knife enters just below my rib cage with one swift motion, and then twists halfway through. I scream, the sound garbled by the rise of blood in my throat. The smooth metal glides on its way out, burying itself in my right hand. I try to shift away from the knife toward Toshiko, but then the gloved hand drags the knife up my arm, cutting deep. There's blood dripping off the knife, but it's all hazy and unclear. Everything from my left eye is useless. I clutch my arm to my chest, everything nothing but a blur—maybe just a bad nightmare that will go away soon.

I can't see what's happening to Toshiko anymore through the mask of the pain. I just curl up and wait for it to all be over. Just a flicker of sunlight off the blade, a few strangled screams, liquid splattered over my skin and on the floor. Everything goes silent except for a few scuffing noises against the concrete.

"Toshiko?" I murmur, involuntary tears brimming. "Are you okay?"

Two harsh cracks, pain through my bottom half and everything goes black. The last I see is a shard of light hovering over me.

 

When I come to, the steady beep of a heart monitor and shouting voices from the hallway is what wakes me.

I shift in my bed, my vision still strange and off. I lift my hand to try and touch my face only to hiss, throwing my hand back down to rest in my lap. My right arm is completely bandaged, covering the long cut made from the knife earlier. I use my other, uninjured hand to pat at my face, my fingers gently skimming over a cloth over the left side of my face. Pressing down on it elicits a sharp spark of pain. Pulling down my blankets reveals layer upon layer of fresh bandages, wrapped around my torso and especially thick at my rib cage.

I swing both of my legs to the sidea, accidentally hitting my ankle against the side table. I bite my lip hard, placing my feet flat on the floor.

Trying to stand up is an ordeal all on its own. My legs aren't exactly healed yet, still splinted at the joints, but they seem to be okay for now. They're wobbly and unstable, and I hold onto my IV stand and wheel it in front of me as support. The voices outside get louder as I approach the door.

"—all your fault! I regret ever believing you!"

"I said I was sorry! I told you, I only—"

"SAVE IT! Sorry's not going to bring Toshiko back! Sorry's not going to make Tobio magically heal! You call yourself smart? You're a fucking idiot—"

I push gently on the door with my left hand, hissing gently at the pressure and stumbling out. Both my parents, stunned by the sound, turn toward me. I must look like a mess, bandaged and shaky kneed, but I need answers.

"Wh—Where's Shiko?"

Silence.

"Shiko's okay, right? Say something...Say something!" I gasp, still being short of air from the stab wound.

My parents look at each other, one with regret, the other with burning hatred.

A nurse passing by catches my eye as I half-run half-trip toward her. I grab on to her leg, tears blurring my already limited vision.

"Nurse! My sister, Kageyama Toshiko...she's alive, right? Please..."

She glances at me with pity in her eyes, looking up at my parents and gently pushing me away as she continues on her way.

"Tobi..." my mother whispers, sending a furious glare at my father, who only shrinks back. "I'm sorry, but..."

I barely hear a word she says after. All I can see is the red that spilled over the concrete when she was stabbed. My pain is forgotten at the thought that maybe, Toshiko might have died in more pain than I'm in right now, alone and afraid.

"It's all Dad's fault..." I seethe, my face scrunching up as angry tears spill from my eyes. "If he hadn't forgotten that we were still at school, she—we wouldn't have tried to walk home by ourselves! And Shiko would still be here! It's all his fault!"

My father opens his mouth to say something before looking to the side, a horrible guilty air surrounding him.

"Tobi..." my mother whispers again, wrapping her arms around me. I sob into her clothes, the wool of her sweater soft and comforting. "Don't lose hope, okay? She might still be alive and she might return to us."

"Wh—What if she doesn't return?" I cry, my cheek wet with tears. "What if she never comes back to get mad at me for buying too many milk cartons? What if...what if she's dead?"

"Tobio," my father begins, standing back as if afraid of the consequences if he touches me.

My mother turns away from my father's pleading eyes, her arms tightening around me.

"Kageyama Chikiro, if she doesn't come back alive, her blood is on your hands. And your worst nightmare will happen. Mark my words."

"Risa!" he shouts in a panic, coming closer but still maintaining his distance. "You can't—"

"You doubt my ability to raise a child on my own?" she responds. I remain mute, the only thing in my vision being the knitted pattern of her sweater. 

"I'm not as dependent on you as you'd like to think. I may have played along to your tune, but this is the last straw."

  


_[END OF MEMOIR]_

 


	12. A/N: Future of This Fic

Hi guys! Sorry, it's been a while haha...

So, on the months I've been absent, I've been sorta thinking over a decision I want to make on this story.

See, I'm starting to find that it falls into the uncanny section between fanfiction and actual fiction because I've created so many OCs and I'm afraid people are going to find the rest of what I've planned super confusing if they're trying to relate it to the canon characters. I've been trying to decide if I should simply just drop it or if I should redo some parts of it, and I've come to this conclusion.

I'm going to delete this story off of AO3, (or not, depending on if people would like it to stay or not) but I won't be working on it in the fanfiction form anymore. Instead, I will move the story plot to wattpad, and will resume writing it there as an original work of fiction. I have an account on there named "connection-23" and that's where I would most likely post said original work. It would take a few months for me to get that going but I feel that it's a benefit for me compared to how I feel about it staying as a fanfiction and not being able to do everything I want with it.

So...yeah. That's the future of this fic. I'm not sure, but if anyone wants to put in their two cents on it, feel free to.


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